Hooray to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources!

The statistics it has come up with about Haena State Park are shocking (“Plan to cap Haena park day hikers at 900 advances,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, May 29).

It is about time for somebody in this state to take a hard look at the impact that tourism is making on our state.

Is the goal to make places so crowded that no one enjoys their visit? And how about those of us who live here?

I hope that this board will take a hard look at other places in our state that could use some crowd- control management. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

Doris Crow

Waialae-Kahala

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Surge pricing better than running meter

City Council member Kymberly Pine wants to legislate against surge pricing by Uber and Lyft.

The city sets a maximum permile rate for taxi fare. But in rush hour, that maximum can be far exceeded as the meter continues to advance while the taxi is still.

Surge pricing takes traffic into account and the passenger knows in advance what the fare will be before deciding to get on board. The taxi passenger has no idea.

Pearl Johnson

Kaneohe

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Why is power plant built on a volcano?

I’m on the mainland watching the unfolding events at Kilauea, like everybody else. I am impressed by the scientists and Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, trying to keep things in order.

Yes, the fissures and earthquakes are being monitored, but when it comes to the Puna Geothermal Ventures plant, it’s problematic. What bright spark decided to build this thing in an area of constant eruptions and earthquakes and in the middle of a residential subdivision? It doesn’t seem to make common sense. Like the nuclear plant on the coast of Japan built right on the water — the Japanese were not pleased with that plant after the earthquake and tsunami.

I happen to live in the shadow of Mount Rainier and the Cascadia subduction zone, which is scheduled for a 9.0 megathrust earthquake down the road. Nobody here wants to drill wells at Mount Rainier or Mount St. Helens, drill for oil or put energy pipes into the Cascadia. We’d all have to be dumb as a brick here to do that.

So, when all is said and done with Kilauea, someone in Hawaii should ask a bunch of questions about the PGV plant. After all, the fissures could have opened up at the PGV plant in the very beginning and then where would you be today with no prior warning?

Jerry Taylor

Elma, Wash.

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Now Democrats want cheap gasoline

I am confused. For decades Democrats advocated higher gas prices, desiring increases similar to Europe. They fought for higher gas taxes while opposing drilling in Alaska and offshore, fracking and pipeline projects.

The last administration mandated higher auto fuel standards. The government told us we must inhibit fossil fuels to reduce global warming.

In true Orwell “1984” doublespeak, Democrats changed their messaging on a dime to, “Cheap gas is an imperative.”

I guess global warming is not so critical. Our own U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz wants lower gas prices, forgetting his long record opposing fossil-fuel use. These are the same folks telling us that great economic news of today — jobs, wage growth, record-low unemployment — are bad for the middle class.

The party of Big Brother continues to confuse while spinning any good news into disaster. A great example of George Orwell’s Newspeak.

Jim McDiarmid

Mililani

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Shapiro sums up Hawaii politicians

David Shapiro’s column was an excellent and objective summary of the numerous efforts and plans by Hawaii politicians who seem to break most promises, spend taxpayer money without conscience or sound forethought, spin facts to avoid responsibility or accountability for their actions, and work hardest to simply stay in office (“Lawmakers reap praise and profits as gavel falls,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, May 27).

Ironically, the current award-winning series, “The Tudors,” depicting the conspiracies, deceitfulness, intrigue and finger-pointing in the court of Henry VIII, seems all too similar to the halls of our Capitol.

Congratulations and well done, Mr. Shapiro. You’ve given us a scorecard to mark the bogeys and out-of-bound shots that should guide us during the next election.

Joel Brilliant

Hawaii Kai

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Not everyone can be a valedictorian

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. According to Webster, the definition of valedictorian is “the student usually having the highest rank in a graduating class who delivers the valedictory address at the commencement exercises.” Note the word “student” is singular. If two or more students have the same GPA they are co-valedictorians.

Unfortunately more and more students from the same graduating class are called valedictorians these days.

It’s bad enough that everyone in a Little League baseball tournament gets a trophy. Applying similar reasoning to scholastic achievement belittles the achievement.

The same could be said about the “everyone graduates” mantra that is overtaking our high schools. It demeans the diploma.

In the real world some people perform better than others. Is that bad?

Fred Fogel

Volcano